A number of lithium electrochemical cells have been investigated over the past twenty to thirty years. In general, these cells are comprised of a lithium metal, lithium metal alloy or an intercalation compound of graphite and petroleum coke with lithium metal as the anode, a lithium ion conducting electrolyte and a cathode material that is capable of intercalating lithium ions. Examples of lithium ion conducting electrolytes are solutions of lithium salts dissolved in organic solvents, lithium ion conducting polymer electrolytes and lithium ion conducting solid electrolytes. Examples of the lithium salts are lithium perchlorate, lithium tetrachloroaluminate, lithium hexafluoro phosphate, lithium tetrafluoroborate, lithium hexafluoroarsenate, and lithium tetrafluoromethane sulfonamide. Examples of the organic solvents are propylene carbonate, diethyl carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, methyl formate, methyl acetate, ethylene carbonate, butyrolactone, 1,3 dioxolane, and dimethoxy ethane. Examples of lithium ion conducting polymer electrolytes are lithium salts dissolved in polymers such as polyethylene oxide (PEO), 2-(2-methoxy-ethoxy-ethoxide) polyphosphazene (MEEP), polyacrylonitrile (PAN). Examples of lithium ion conducting solid electrolytes are lithium iodide, lithium germanium vanadate and LISICON. The cathode is generally comprised of materials such as lithium cobalt oxide, lithium nickel oxide, lithium manganese oxide, titanium disulfide, molybdenum trioxide etc. that are capable of intercalating and deintercalating with lithium during the discharge and charge operations, respectively. The cathode materials used in rechargeable lithium ion cells are in general compounds of strategic metals. There is a need to find cathode materials made of common metals which can intercalate with lithium metal and are also in abundant supply in nature.